PRINCE CHARMING: A Stepbrother Secret Baby Romance(50)

“Yes,” Lamont agreed. “I daresay having a sister has calmed him down, too. Quite impressive, Olivia.”

“Thank you. I don’t think I did anything, though,” she said. Except sleep with him, fall in love with him, and now I’m carrying his child. Her stomach roiled again as she glanced at Quincy and back down to her plate. Should she tell him before she left? She hadn’t even thought of that. He deserved to know, but it was too risky.

“You’re pale again,” Melinda observed. “I think that bug is still hanging on. Are you sure you don’t want to see the doctor?”

“No, no… I’m fine, promise,” she said. “Perfectly fine.”

Melinda wasn’t the only one watching Olivia. Quincy’s brow furrowed as he stared at her, asking a silent question. She couldn’t say anything, wouldn’t, and turned away from him quickly.

“Well, the wedding is going to be beautiful. I can’t wait until we start planning. The flowers and the cake! I have one already picked out. You’ll love it, Quincy.”

“I’m sure I will love whatever you decide to do,” he said and stiffened when she leaned in to kiss his cheek.

The rest of the dinner consisted of Olivia feigning happiness while she listened to Gigi talk about the future wedding and how perfect everything was going to be. On the other side of the table, Helen and Edric flirted constantly and quietly, laughing every now and then, which made Olivia smile. She gave Helen her blessing when Edric stood and asked if she’d like to stroll through the courtyard. For a moment, he glanced at Olivia, worried he’d offended her, but she waved them on.

“She needs to see it, anyway. Thank you for showing her, Edric,” Olivia said diplomatically, and together, the two left the dining room.

“I thought you liked him,” Quincy asked once they were gone. “You’re going to let him flirt with your friend like that?”

“They seem to have a connection that he and I don’t, which I wanted to speak with you about, Mom and Lamont. I think I am going to turn down Edric’s courtship. A few weeks after the wedding, I’ll have to return to the US for classes, and I don’t want to keep him from anyone else.”

Lamont nodded. “Of course, my dear, though the only one I think you’ll be keeping him away from is you. I have a feeling the man would not mind traveling to the US.”

“Helen would enjoy his visits, I’m sure of it. I think I’m going to turn in for the night.” She kissed her mom on the cheek, bade the others goodnight, and left the dining room. She had to leave the day after the wedding. There was no chance she could stomach watching Gigi plan the wedding she could never have with Quincy. It hurt too much—that, and someone was going to pick up that she wasn’t sick. It was morning sickness, all damn day long.

She couldn’t take that risk.

***

“I can’t wait to see you again,” Gigi said and threw her arms around his neck. “I’m the happiest woman on the isle right now.”

“I’m glad,” he lied and gently pried her off. He kissed her goodnight on the cheek and watched Theo walk her out to her ride home. Why couldn’t it have been Olivia? Why did he have to be with a woman like Gigi, who thought of nothing but herself?

He informed the guards he was turning in for the night and made his way up the stairs to his room. He had not expected Olivia’s friend and Edric to enjoy each other’s company so much, but Olivia hadn’t seemed to mind. He was pretty sure the two of them were still talking in the courtyard somewhere, which meant he wouldn’t have to watch that man steal the woman he loved.

No, you just have to watch her watch you deal with Gigi until she goes home, you dimwit.

Quincy paused before going to his rooms. He wanted to go to Olivia and talk to her, see if there was a way to figure out how to make this work, but his dad was happy with his decision. Parliament was happy, and his crown was secure. He was trapped.

Sleep wasn’t going to happen any time soon, so he wandered out onto the balcony and stared up at the stars. His thoughts turned to his first night on the beach with Olivia and how she’d felt beneath him. Warm and soft in all the right places, giving herself over to him completely. He’d fallen in love with her that night and every day since. His chest ached, and he longed for a bottle of wine to soothe his bitterness. He did all of this for his people, and he wondered for one horrible moment if they deserved his sacrifice.

The sound of a chair scraping against stone made him turn in time to see Olivia hurrying back through her balcony doors. On instinct, he went to the other railing, ready to climb over, but she closed them and his heart shattered. This was it. This was his new life.

There was no more Olivia in it for him. Nothing except a crown and the fake love he would give to his new wife.





Chapter 16


The morning of the wedding, everyone bustled around the palace, preparing. The ceremony would take place on the beach, and the reception, of course, would be held in the grand ballroom. Olivia had been in her mom’s room with Helen and all their ladies to get ready since seven that morning.

“You’re going to be gorgeous,” Helen told Melinda as she admired the wedding gown. “This is absolutely stunning!”

“You’ll have to take lots of photos for your mom. I wish she had been able to come, too.”